Interactive Choices (Creative Summarization)
General Directions: These activities are designed to help you summarize the information that you have
learned in class TODAY (i.e. your notes on the facing page)! It should help you review, reflect, and, in some
cases, extend your understanding of today’s topic. In order for an activity to be meaningful, you must use as
many FACTS from today’s class as you can. You may do additional research to expand or add details to
what was learned. Please follow the directions carefully if you want to receive full credit. Remember to put
this on the left hand page (back-side), facing the notes from today.
Caution: Anything for science should NOT be written in 1st person (I, we, my, etc.).
Interactive Choice Rubric
0 points Not Scorable/ Missing almost everything
1 point
One or more parts missing
 Less than 85% of product is complete or accurate
 Less than 85% meets standards
 The product shows little creativity and few illustrations (where appropriate)
2 points What is EXPECTED
85% or more completed and / or accurate
More than 85% meets standards
The requirement is evident
The product is neatly done and organized
The product shows some creativity and is illustrated (where appropriate)
3 points A WOW product
100% is complete and accurate
100% meets the standards
all of the requirements are evident and EXCEEDED
The product is VERY neatly done and EXTREMEMLY well organized
The product shows LOTS of creativity and is colorfully illustrated
All interactive choices may be fixed until the binder check.
Vocabulary Cards
The purpose of a vocabulary card is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or concepts
covered in class today. The “card” may be an index card of any size, a sticky note, or a small piece of paper.
The finished cards (3) must be taped to the left hand side page or hole-punched and inserted into the binder
by that page. The front of the card includes the term, phrase or concept and a simple colored picture
representation. The picture representation can be anything that makes you think of the meaning of the thing
being defined. The definition and a sentence using the word are on the back of the card.
4 colors
Here is an example:
Front
Back
Gravity
Definition:
Gravity causes any two objects in the
universe to be drawn to one another.
Sentence:
Gravity and inertia keep the moon
from crashing into Earth.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
3 cards
Front: vocab word, phrase, or concept from today’s notes and a simple picture representation (4
colors)
Back: the definition and a sentence using the word
Riddle Cards
The purpose of a riddle card is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or concepts covered
in class today. The “card” may be an index card of any size, a sticky note, or a small piece of paper. The
finished cards (2) must be taped to the left hand side page or hole-punched and inserted into the binder by
that page. The front of the card includes a riddle and a colored picture representation. The riddle should have
two or more clues. The picture representation can be anything that makes you think of the meaning of the
thing being defined. The back of each card has the answer, (the term, phrase or concept), and a 2 - 3
sentence explanation of the clues and how they lead to the answer to the riddle.
4 colors
Here is an example:
Front
A constant source of fun I am.
I will always pull your leg.
I reach out in all directions.
To pull all things close.
What am I?
Back
Gravity
The answer is gravity because it always pulls
things down like a ball that falls to the ground then
bounces. Gravity pulls on all the parts of a body.
“Pulling your leg” is also a saying that means that
you are making fun of or kidding someone!
Gravity reaches out in all directions to pull on
every object in the universe to try and bring them
closer.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
2 cards
Front: riddle (2 or more clues) and picture (minimum 4 colors)
Back: answer and explanation
Acrostic Poem
The purpose of this acrostic poem is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or concepts
covered in class today. An acrostic poem is a form of poetry where the key term is written down the left
hand side of the page. Each letter is then used as the first letter of a sentence that is about that term.
Suggestion: use the first letter to write the definition of the term, and the rest of the letters to write about
details or examples. After writing the poem, each letter must be traced with a color (minimum 4 colors).
Here is an example:
Gravity causes any two objects in the universe to be drawn to one another.
Responsible for keeping the Earth and the other planets in their orbits around the Sun, gravity is always at work.
An attraction between any two objects with mass is what gravity is a natural phenomenon.
Very tiny objects have gravity, too!
Isaac Newton defined gravity as a force -- one that attracts all objects to all other objects.
Trace
Tides are the result of gravity.
Yes, gravity is what gives objects weight.
with at
You must have the following to receive full credit:
Vocab word
Sentence for each letter of the word
Each letter traced with a color (minimum 4 colors).
least 4
colors
Haiku
The purpose of this haiku is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or concepts covered in
class today. Haiku is a form of poetry form Japan. It is a minimalist form of poetry with only 17 syllables.
Using the facts from today’s class, write a haiku about today’s topic. A haiku is formatted as follows:
Here is an example:
1st line, 5 syllables
Gravity, it pulls
2nd line, 7 syllables
All things in the Universe.
3rd line, 5 syllables
Useful attraction.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
The haiku
At least one paragraph (5 sentences) explanation of what you have written. (Include vocabulary
words and facts from today’s notes.)
TV/ Radio Commercial
A commercial is a sponsored advertisement on radio or television that is trying to sell something. Using the
facts from today’s class, write a commercial selling today’s topic. You can sell a thing, an idea, a way of
life, etc. Be creative!
Here is an example:
Do you want to be able to get out of bed in the morning, after a full night’s rest in a prone position i.e. staying flat on your
back? Do you want to be able to eat your breakfast cereal in the morning, with your cereal and milk staying in your bowl
as opposed to floating around your kitchen? Do you want to be able to shoot some hoops with the ball going up and then
coming down through the hoop instead of floating around aimlessly? Then you are going to want to purchase some
gravity. Gravity causes any two objects in the universe to be drawn to one another. It is the force that keeps your feet
firmly planted on the ground. Isaac Newton defined gravity as a force -- one that attracts all objects to all other objects.
Albert Einstein said gravity is a result of Television/Radio Commercial the curvature of space-time. Whatever it is, it
helps your life a lot easier. Buy it – today!
You must have the following to receive full credit:
At least eight sentences. (Include vocabulary words and facts from notes.)
Vocabulary Graffiti
The purpose of vocabulary graffiti is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or concepts
covered in class today. Begin by picking a term or vocab word from today’s class. Turn each letter into a
picture that is related to that word. Write a one-sentence explanation of how each picture goes with the
word.
Here is an example:
Gravity
keeps the
planets
orbiting
around
the sun.
Galileo
dropped
balls from
the tower
of Pisa.
Legend
has it that
an apple
helped
Newton
define
gravity.
It causes
a ball to
bounce.
Gravity
causes
objects
with mass
attract
one
another.
Gravity
gives us
weight.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
Vocab word: each letter as a picture
An explanation under each letter
1. Topic Sentence
2. Fact sentence
a. Commentary sentence
b. Commentary sentence
3. Fact sentence
a. Commentary sentence
b. Commentary sentence
4. Fact Sentence
a. Commentary sentence
b. Commentary sentence
5. Summary sentence
Eleven Sentence Essay
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
Choose from the following list of commentary options:
Give an example
Give a reason
Create an analogy
Compare or contrast
Define
Curiosity
Cause
Effect
Quote
Comment
Ask a question
Simplify something
Pros and Cons
Predict a potential outcome Provide a potential solution
Relate a relevant story Connect personally
Opinion
(You may use personal pronouns for the bottom choices.)
Tides caused
by
gravitational
pull of sun
and moon.
Science Picture Project
The purpose of this science picture project is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or
concepts covered in class today. Find a picture from a newspaper, magazine, or on the internet that you feel
is relevant to the things that you learned about during today’s class. It may directly or metaphorical (like or
as) related. Glue this picture to the page facing today’s notes. Under this picture, write a five-sentence
paragraph explaining how this picture shows today’s concept.
Here is an example:
Gravity causes any two objects in the universe to be drawn to one another.
It keeps the moon in orbit around the Earth. Isaac Newton defined gravity
as a force -- one that attracts all objects to all other objects. Albert
Einstein said gravity is a result of the curvature of space-time. Gravity is
what makes a basketball bounce. Without gravity, a basketball would not
come down through the hoop.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
A picture from the Internet, a magazine, or a newspaper
A five-sentence paragraph explaining how this picture shows today’s concept
Real World Application
The purpose of a real world application is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or
concepts covered in class today. This assignment may take extra research on your part, because it asks you
to use the information from today’s class and show how it is used in our world today. You might ask
yourself these questions: “How does this relate to my life or actions? How does it help us to in our daily
lives? How does it help us understand our world better? How does it help us to develop better technology?”
Please begin this essay with a 2 – 3 sentence introduction of the concept. Then, add at least 4 – 5 more
sentences answering one or more of the previously stated questions.
Here is an example:
Gravitation, or gravity, is a natural phenomenon in which objects with mass attract one another. In everyday life,
gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when
dropped. Gravity is needed to play basketball! Isaac Newton defined gravity as a force -- one that attracts all objects to
all other objects. Albert Einstein said gravity is a result of the curvature of space-time. Because of the discoveries of
these two men and others, scientists have a greater understanding of our universe, how it was formed, and how it is
changing now. The discovery and application of Newton's law of gravity accounts for the detailed information we have
about the planets in our solar system, the mass of the Sun, the distance to stars, quasars and even the theory of dark
matter. Some scientists are trying to develop a “green” source of energy using gravity. They to use it to run anything
form small machines to airplanes!
One Panel Cartoon
The purpose of the one panel cartoon is to assist you in learning and understanding terms, phrases or
concepts covered in class today. This cartoon does NOT have to be funny! Create a cartoon and write a
paragraph about the concept that it is about.
Here is an example:
Gravity causes any two objects in the universe to be drawn to one another. Gravity assisted in forming
the universe. It keeps the moon in orbit around the Earth. Isaac Newton defined gravity as a force -one that attracts all objects to all other objects. Albert Einstein said gravity is a result of the curvature of
space-time. These two theories are the most common and widely held (if somewhat incomplete)
explanations of gravity.
You must have the following to receive full credit:
Cartoon (single of multiple frame)
Caption (maximum 2 lines)
At least one paragraph (5 sentences) explanation of what you have created. (Include vocabulary
words and facts from today’s notes.)
Word Chain
The purpose of the word chain is to assist you in learning and understanding the connection between terms,
phrases or concepts covered in class today.
The moon has
orbital motion.
Newton’s 1st law
of motion says
that an object in
motion will stay
in motion
Here is an example:
The Earth has
mass, and
therefore it has
gravity.
Earth
The Moon has
mass, and
therefore it has
gravity.
Gravity
Moon
Gravity and
inertia combined
keep the moon in
orbit around the
Earth.
The tendency for
an object to resist
change in motion
is inertia.
Motion
Inertia
You must have the following to
receive full credit:
At least 5 words
including vocab words
 Explanations
between
each word about how
the words are connected